Golden Eagle, Birmingham
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox building
| name = The Golden Eagle
| status = Demolished
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| building_type = Public house
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| client = Holt Brewery Company
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| location =
| address = Hill Street
| location_town = Birmingham
| location_country = England
| coordinates = {{Coord|52.47860|-1.90247|region:Gb-BIR_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
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| opened_date = 1930s
| demolition_date = 1980s
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The Golden Eagle was a 1930s public house in Birmingham, England, which became known as a venue for live music.
The pub stood on Hill Street, in Birmingham City Centre, between Victoria Square and the western end of New Street Station.
It closed in January 1984 and was demolished soon afterwards.
Architecture
The building, commissioned by the Holt Brewery Company (and later operated by their successors, Ansells Brewery), in art deco style{{cite news |last1=Mourby |first1=Adrian |title=The headbanger's guide to Brum |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/the-headbangers-guide-to-brum-1622140.html |access-date=15 October 2018 |work=The Independent |date=15 February 2009}} was clad in black stone, with a bas relief carving of a stylised golden eagle, by sculptor William Bloye, over the main entrance.
It was erected in the 1930s on the site of an earlier pub of the same name.{{cite web |title=Golden Eagle, Hill street, Birmingham |url=https://pubhistory.co.uk/Warwickshire/BirminghamG/GoldenEagleHill.shtml |website=PubHistory |access-date=15 October 2018 |archive-date=16 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032649/https://pubhistory.co.uk/Warwickshire/BirminghamG/GoldenEagleHill.shtml |url-status=dead }}
Music
It was at the Golden Eagle, in 1963, that Spencer Davis met brothers Steve (then aged 14 and still at school{{cite web|title=It's 'About Time' for Steve Winwood |publisher=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/music/2003/07/steve_winwood.shtml |access-date=19 August 2007}}) and Muff Winwood, performing there as the Muffy Wood Jazz Band, resulting in them forming the Spencer Davis Group.{{cite news |last1=Lockley |first1=Mike |title=Will legendary Spencer Davis Group reunite for one last gig in Birmingham? |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/legendary-spencer-davis-group-reunite-11614830 |access-date=15 October 2018 |work=birminghammail |date=17 July 2016}} The Spencer Davis Group made their debut at the Eagle, and subsequently had a Monday-night residency here.{{cite web |title=Spencer Davis Group / 1965 / Smallbrook Queensway |url=http://www.havillandtravis.com/product/spencer-davis-group-1965-smallbrook-queensway/ |website=Havill & Travis |access-date=15 October 2018}}
Other bands who played there before going on to bigger things include Iron Maiden{{cite news |last1=V. |first1=Robin |title=Seven Birmingham venues where music history was made |url=https://www.timeout.com/birmingham/blog/seven-birmingham-venues-where-music-history-was-made |access-date=15 October 2018 |work=Time Out Birmingham |date=10 April 2015 |language=en}} and U2.{{cite news |last1=Bentley |first1=David |title=These are the latest pubs to close in Birmingham |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/birminghams-closed-pubs-memories-citys-8222411 |access-date=15 October 2018 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=30 June 2017}}
For a year from June 1973, the pub was home to a folk club,{{cite web |last1=Cross |first1=Phil |title=Golden Eagle Folk Club |url=https://historyofbrumfolkclubs.uk/540-golden-eagle-folk-club.html |website=History of Folk Clubs in Birmingham |access-date=15 October 2018}} run by resident Birmingham folk/rock band Scotch Mist.
In 1974 another folk club ran by Alan MacEvoy and his resident folk group, Prima Donna hosted famous artists like Tommy Makem, Tim Harding, The JSB band and Dick Gaughan.
From 1976 to 1979, a club night, "Shoop Shoop", was held on Thursdays.{{cite web |title=Chris Rhythm Doctor Interview + DJ Mix |url=http://www.grapevinebirmingham.com/chris-rhythm-doctor-interview-dj-mix/ |website=Grapevine Birmingham |date=22 March 2017 |access-date=15 October 2018}}{{Cite book| publisher = MIT Press| isbn = 978-1-906897-47-5 |last1=Henriques |first1=Julian |author-link1=Julian Henriques|last2 =Morley |first2=David |last3=Goblot |first3=Vana |title = Stuart Hall: Conversations, Projects and Legacies |year=2017 |page=225}} Shoop Shoop was run by Mike Horseman and Pete King, the latter of whom went on to manage Steel Pulse.{{cite web |last1=Brouwer |first1=Andy |title=Pete King - Steel Pulse's former Manager in his own words |url=http://andybrouwer.co.uk/king.html |access-date=15 October 2018}}
Legacy
In August 2018, Birmingham-based Two Towers brewery launched a "Golden Eagle" ruby ale, in their "Gone but Not Forgotten" range, to commemorate the pub.{{cite web |title=Gone But Not Forgotten, Golden Eagle |url=https://twotowersale.wordpress.com/2018/08/11/gone-but-not-forgotten-golden-eagle/ |publisher=Two Towers Ale |access-date=15 October 2018 |date=11 August 2018}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.birminghammusicarchive.com/golden-eagle/ 'Birmingham Music Archive' page]
- [http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/warwickshire/birmingham_b5_goldeneagle.html 'Closed Pubs' page] (includes picture)
- [https://keithjonesmusic.wordpress.com/bands/scotch-mist/the-golden-eagle-hill-st/ 'Keith Jones Music' page] with a picture showing the Bloye carving
{{Buildings and structures in Birmingham, England}}
Category:Pubs in Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:Music in Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:Art Deco architecture in England
Category:Former pubs in England
Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 1930s
Category:Demolished buildings and structures in the West Midlands (county)